Deal tells Georgia prosecutors more justice reform is coming

Next step is to assist those re-entering society with in-prison education and other support

JEKYLL ISLAND | Gov. Nathan Deal promised prosecutors at their annual summer conference Tuesday that the 2014 session of the Georgia General Assembly will bring another round of justice reform, this time aimed at successfully ushering prison inmates back into society.

Past reforms have included raising the monetary thresholds for felonies, returning discretion to judges in sentencing and getting non-violent offenders such as drug users and drunk drivers into so-called accountability courts, which has made space available in state prisons and lowered the population in county jails while lowering repeat offenses.

Since 2010, the number of inmates sitting in county jails awaiting transfer to a probation detention center has dropped from about 1,000 to only two, he said.

“That’s saved counties about $11 million,’’ Deal said.

Also, there were formerly 4,435 felons in county jails waiting for beds in state prisons, he said. There are now only 643, Deal said.

He detailed other savings from justice reform and said there will be more if more requests are filled such as the creation of mental health and even veteran courts for those with problems unique to their backgrounds.

Deal said it’s time to pay more attention to those who have done their time.

“We have about 60,000 in our system to be released,’’ and the state needs to take steps to keep them from re-offending and going back to prison, Deal said.

By executive order, Deal created the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support and Reentry effective July 1 to slow recidivism.

Studies show that those in prison have few educational skills, Deal said.

Deal proposed making early release a reward those who pursue education in prison and “not those who sit on their beds and watch TV.”

There has also been some discussion of reentry courts for inmates leaving prison, and the challenge is always to get them housed and employed, he said.

“Obviously, you would be involved in that process,’’ Deal told the prosecutors.